The Surprising Pardons That Liberated These Pro-Life Activists

Joan Bell had just completed her second group Rosary session of the day when a fellow inmate burst into her Philadelphia prison cell with surprising news.

“‘Miss Joan’s husband’s on TV! She’s been pardoned,’” 76-year-old Bell relayed to The Epoch Times.

Recognized as a leading figure in pro-life advocacy, Bell has faced imprisonment multiple times for “rescues” — a pro-life term for entering abortion clinics to potentially obstruct access in an effort to prevent abortions. This time, she received a pardon from the President of the United States.

“I never expected it would happen,” Bell said regarding the pardon, expressing her gratitude to Trump for his “great, great kindness.”

During her time behind bars, Bell and her fellow inmates held daily Mass prayers from a missalette in both English and Spanish, with two groups also reciting the Rosary in both languages.

She had already completed over a year of her sentence resulting from a protest in October 2020 at the Washington Surgi-Clinic in the nation’s capital.

The Justice Department had also brought charges under a conspiracy against rights statute associated with a post-Civil War law aimed at groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Together, these laws led to several defendants receiving lengthy prison terms. By the time the pardons were issued by Trump, many had been behind bars for over a year.

“They should never have been prosecuted,” Trump stated before signing the pardons in the Oval Office on January 23. “It’s a tremendous honor to sign this.”

From Rescued to Rescuer

Eva Edl couldn’t remember who informed her of her pardon, yet her initial reaction was clear.

“Praise the Lord!” she exclaimed to The Epoch Times.

At 89, Edl faced what she termed “a death sentence”—over a decade in prison for blocking access to two abortion clinics in Michigan. Fortunately, that threat has dissipated, along with the three years of probation she received in September 2024 for a related protest in Mount Juliet, Tennessee.

As a seasoned abortion “rescuer,” Edl has been involved in clinic blockades since the late 1980s.

She believes the government should not dictate who lives or dies. Having survived a Soviet concentration camp, she understands the grim reality when governments “usurp the right” to make these judgments, a lesson drawn from her experiences in her native Yugoslavia.

At the tender age of nine, Edl witnessed the Soviets take her family members. Her older siblings were sent to a labor camp, while she and her grandmother were taken to an extermination camp, destined for those deemed too feeble to work.

“I was just 9 years old, crammed into a cattle car like livestock—standing room only, nearly suffocating from lack of air,” Edl recalled.

It was during her time in that concentration camp that Edl found Jesus, a faith that sustained her until her mother bribed a guard for her release. She later emigrated to Austria and finally to the United States, where she was appalled to discover the reality of abortion.

In 1988, Edl stepped into pro-life activism after learning about a demonstration at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta.

“I told my husband, ‘Sweetheart, this is what someone should have done for me. May I go?’ And he allowed me to attend.”

Edl has faced arrest numerous times while protesting for pro-life causes. To her, the abortion clinic represents a stark resemblance to the concentration camp where she was previously imprisoned.

“I view the sidewalk as train tracks and the abortion clinic entrance as the gates to a death camp,” she reflected, pondering what might have happened if someone had impeded her train and granted her a chance to escape.

“Somehow, another group of Christians could have come and pried open my cattle car and saved us, or at least afforded us a chance to be saved. This is how I interpret my current actions.”

The Battle Continues

Uncertainties linger regarding the potential legal repercussions Bell, Edl, and other activists might face for future protests.

To address this, Edl and 11 of her co-defendants are urging the president to advocate for the repeal of the FACE Act.

“This law has always been biased toward injustice,” they expressed in a letter dated January 29, obtained by The Epoch Times. “It was intended from the outset to persecute pro-life Christians who care for their neighbors.”

They also implored Trump to endorse a federal abortion ban: “Neither a heartbeat, brainwaves, viability, nor any other objective measures of development should determine the value of a human being.”

The letter was signed by Dr. Coleman Boyd, Cal Zastrow, Dennis Green, Eva Zastrow, Jim Zastrow, Heather Idoni, Chester Gallagher, Paul Place, and Paul Vaughn, each facing charges after a protest in Tennessee. Justin Phillips and Joel Curry, indicted in Michigan, also signed.

Vaughn, currently under house arrest, fears the pardon he received may nullify his pending appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. On January 28, the Justice Department filed a motion to vacate Vaughn’s and others’ convictions and to remand the case for dismissal at the district court level.

However, Vaughn and Herb Geraghty, who did not seek a pardon for his conviction in Washington yet still received one, are both aiming to proceed with their appeals as a means to dissuade future administrations from prosecuting other activists.

Steve Crampton, senior counsel at the Thomas More Society representing Vaughn, noted that even with the pardon, his client carries a “stain on his record,” which may hinder future employment opportunities.

“We aim not to appear ungrateful,” Crampton remarked. “Yet, the potential threat from the future implementation of the FACE Act … and those conspiracy charges by a different administration is very real.”

Jonathan Darnel, who was convicted and sentenced in Washington, stated the Justice Department’s enforcement memo is “positive,” but emphasized that FACE needs either Congressional repeal or a Supreme Court strike down.

“In some sense, I would prefer to be back in prison … if that was the only option, I would wish to be there,” he mentioned, emphasizing the chance for his case to challenge the FACE Act.

The Road Forward

Approximately two to three years after their original indictments, the pardoned pro-lifers face the challenge of reintegrating into their lives outside prison while continuing their activism.

“I’m still dealing with the aftermath of this recent incarceration,” Geraghty stated.

In discussions with The Epoch Times, several activists expressed a commitment to continue their engagement at abortion clinics and articulated a profound sense of duty to protect the unborn.

“I firmly believe abortion is murder, and we must act accordingly,” Geraghty stressed.

Bell noted, “When actual human beings are dying, I believe direct action is always essential to regard someone as a human being. Therefore, I can never disregard that if I could save a child’s life, I must be prepared to step forward.”

Outside of potential activism, the grandmother of nine mentioned she will spend much of her time babysitting.

Both she and Vaughn have pro-life ministries they intend to pursue following their pardons. Bell resides in New Jersey, a state where abortion remains legal, while Vaughn navigates a different landscape in Tennessee.

“We’re evaluating how this influences our ministry moving forward and determining our next steps,” Vaughn indicated.

He also noted that “from a ministry perspective … the battleground is changing, with increasing access to chemical abortions, and there remains a critical need to engage with the culture on the importance of life versus the harm of abortion.”

Darnel, who founded the website GetSeriousChurch.com, mentioned he may shift his “focus a little from activism to developing an online presence.”

Edl, for her part, plans to continue advocating for the unborn after some much-needed rest. She expressed hope that others, inspired by the energy surrounding the pro-life movement, will join her efforts.

“If they don’t, I’ll be there as long as I have breath.”

Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.